Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Soon

MR. BALL: Since 1971, government has published a Budget document called Salary Details.
This document contained details of every part-time and full-time job within the
department along with the salary range. This is a critical document used for
tracking and comparing government payroll and cost.

My question is to the Premier: Why has the government refused not to release
this information this year? MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, that particular document is not linked to any
of the public accounts or the public statements of the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador. If the information is required, it will certainly be
made available, but it was felt in view of the fact that it is not linked to the
public statements, there was really no need to publish it. If the information is
required, it will be made available. MR. BALL:Typically, from what I understand, it has been like forty years now that this
document has been available. I know in Estimates, people who use it found it to
be quite useful.

If they do not want to print it – we were told yesterday that maybe the
printing cost was an issue – could it be available to us on-line? MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition wants that
information, we will be happy to provide it.

Minister Marshall went a little further outside the House, apparently telling assembled reporters that the mysteriously missing document would be available "soon".